Marianne was not a real person. Like Eleanor Rigby or Maggie May, she was dreamt up for a song. Today in France, you will find her image on coins, postage stamps and government documents, and her bust is in most official buildings. 

In 1910, Armand Viguier built a pedal-powered aeroplane in his village church. When war broke out in 1914, he served successively as cavalryman, bomber pilot and fighter pilot. Learn more about his extraordinary career.

At 10.17 on 21 September 2001, Toulouse was shaken by an explosion which killed 31 people. The cause? A fertiliser factory run by AZF.

During the Hundred Years’ War, English and French armies clashed frequently on the battlefield. At the Battle of Montégut-Lauragais in 1381, a French count confronted a French duke.

Discover how ice cream helped a young Italian establish a cafe in 1686 that was frequented by Voltaire, Rousseau, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Danton and Robespierre.

Please be indulgent and allow me to share a wonderful piece of publishing news! It's another good reason for me to love the Pyrenees.

​In a forest clearing halfway up a mountain, five granite figures stare into the distance and dream of freedom. Who carved them, and what do they represent?

With a poet’s eye for drama, Henry Bataille knew exactly how he wanted to be buried. Although his dramatic output has passed into oblivion, his tomb is unforgettable. It may even give you nightmares.

At the foot of the Montagne Noire, the village of Durfort devoted itself to copper for six centuries. Today, one or two shops still offer traditional wares, a copper vessel hangs outside nearly every house, and the village council has recently signposted a 3.5km walk along the river where trip hammers once thumped lumps of copper into shape.

Analysis of culinary remains – burnt and unburnt – that were discovered in a mountain village in the Montagne Noire provides a fascinating insight into what people were eating seven or eight centuries ago.

Discover the connection between this castle and the artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Did you know Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was an accomplished cook as well as a great artist? Try one of his recipes.

There are five Pics du Midi in the Pyrenees. The one from Bigorre is undoubtedly the easiest to reach, and it offers a combination of scientific interest and stunning views of the mountains.

A stroll through the Roman ruins of Lugdunum Convenarum and up to the cathedral of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges on its hilltop allows us to visualise the transition from worshipping Roman and pagan gods to embracing Christianity.

Discover a remote castle with splendid views and read the story of a rebellion against the last great king of the Visigoths.